Purgatory
by Dark-Phantasmagoria
Summary: Dean and Castiel are stuck together in Purgatory. Pushed to the edge and forced to grapple with the souls of the supernatural leering down all around them, they will be tested. Will their challenges pull them together or tear them apart?


Dean's raspy breathing was the only sound that seemed to matter in his life as he struggled to escape. He flew through the dark forest, often stumbling over logs and nearly knocking into trees head-on. The cold air around him seemed to breath only death, and from the depths of Purgatory emerged every horror of the hunter's, every creature that had ever given them a hard time, Hell-bent on killing Dean, and only Dean. The hunter struggled to move forward, knowing now that they only thing keeping him pressing onward was the knowledge that if he gave in, he was weak. He had given in while he was in Hell, but not here. Here, he had a chance to make it, a chance to outrun his demons... Suddenly, Dean tripped and stumbled, rolling down a hill and into a dark pool of water. He gasped and flailed, feeling dragged under. He swore that slimy hands were grasping at his worn jeans, that unwelcome voices were luring him deeper into the murky waters. Dean struggled and struggled, pulling the only weapon he had from his pocket and slashing the water around him with the silver knife. How he had managed to keep it, he didn't know. The sons-of-bitches that controlled Purgatory probably let him keep it to give him some sort of false hope. Dean didn't take the bait. He knew that he was going to die.

Suddenly, he heard a flutter of wings, and before he could do anything he was being pulled out of the water and dragged into the forest. There was a whoosh of air, and Dean's ears were suddenly ringing as he found himself lying on soft moss. He whipped his head around, searching for his savior.

"Cass?" he croaked into the darkness, sitting against a tree stump panting. For a moment there was no answer, and then a loud growl as some wolf-like creature trampled through the stress and attacked a spot directly to the right of Dean. There was a crack as the wolf flew backwards and Dean saw a glimpse of something rushing after it. There was a loud howl, a moan, and a cry. Suddenly, Dean heard the unmistakable sound of Cass' voice crying out "Stop!" he gulped and tried to get up to help his friend, but he was unable to. His bloodied legs had failed him, and so he was forced to listen to the painful shouts and cries. Then, suddenly there was a snarl and then silence.

"Cass!" Dean shouted, dragging himself along the forest floor. He was panting as he reached the spot several feet off. There, lying on the ground, was a beaten up and bleeding Cass.

"Cass! Are you okay?!" Dean cried, forcing himself to crawl forward to the angel. He looked down at his protector, who was coughing and spilling blood from his chest and arms.

"Dean, you're safe now," Cass whispered.

"Oh no you son-of-a-bitch you are NOT going to die on me!" Dean ripped off his button down over shirt, somehow finding a new strength, and wrapped it around Cass' wounds. He then pressed hard on the cloth.

"It's okay Cass. You'll heal soon," he said quietly, waiting for Cass' angel mojo to kick in. Only, it didn't. Dean looked around desperately.

"Cass, why aren't you healing? Cass please don't die," Dean yelled.

"I'm outside my coverage zone," Cass choked. Dean's heart nearly burst. The angel's healing mojo didn't work here...

"Cass, what can I do? There must be something," he said desperately.

"You–let–ahem," Cass sputtered. He cleared his throat. "Soul, touch, me, hand," he managed to gasp. Dean immediately understood and took Cass' hand in his, pressing it against his chest. Instantly, Dean began to worry.

"Why isn't it working Cass?" he said, beginning to cry. "You're supposed to touch my damn soul and heal. You have to want it you idiot!" Dean yelled, pressing harder against Castiel. The angel breathed deeply and forced his hand forward through Dean's chest. Dean inhaled a ratty breath as he watched the angel's hand enter his chest.

"Is it working?" he gasped. And then, suddenly Dean felt a jolt, like a defibrillator had been used on him. He looked at the angel's wounds, which were beginning to heal. Dean exhaled deeply and then collapsed, falling onto Cass' chest.

#

When Dean woke up he took a moment to adjust to the darkness. Then, he nearly screamed to see Cass kneeling right in front of him.

"Dammit Cass! Wait, are you alright?" Dean asked anxiously.

"I am intact," Cass said. Dean shook his head and reached forward to hug the angel.

"I thought you were going to die," he breathed, gripping Cass' trench coat tightly. Tears began streaking down his face.

"It's alright Dean. No one's going to die...today," he sighed. After taking in the surroundings, Dean finally spoke up.

"How long have I been asleep?" Dean asked, pulling away.

"48 hours, 13 minutes, and 45 seconds," Cass recounted.

"How-" Dean began.

"I counted the seconds," Cass said.

"Oh." the word hung there in the air like an unwelcome guest.

"Thank you Dean," Cass said suddenly.

"No, thank you," Dean said. "I'd be dead if you hadn't showed up."

Cass nodded.

"Hey, I'm starving I just realized," Dean said. Cass looked worried.

"What, they don't have cheeseburgers in Purgatory?" he said with a little laugh. Cass cocked his head to the side.

"This isn't funny Dean," he said, fiddling with his trench coat hem. Dean's smile faded.

"Wait, there's no food here? Not even deer or, or-"

Cass shook his head.

"Anything here that they want to survive doesn't need food," he whispered.

"So, I'm going to starve?" Dean said weakly. "I mean, I've already been tortured and chased, bitten, nearly raped, and almost possessed by the shit in here. And now I'm going to starve to death?"

Cass looked worried. "Raped?" he asked.

"Really? That's the only thing you got out of that? It was some zombie-siren thing. I barely even remember," Dean mumbled.

"Oh... Well, I have to be honest Dean... Yes, you will probably starve. It is a... regrettable way to die, but-"

"Regrettable?" Dean laughed. And then he caught the movement out of the corner of his eye.

"Cass, look out!" He said. The angel whipped his head around and Dean was smacked the head by something light and feathery. He opened his eyes to see black wings.

"Cass?" he asked uncertainly. "You can see your wings here?" he asked.

"Yes, when I want to show them here, I can," Cass said, flexing his five feet long black wings.

"Oh," said Dean. He reached out and touched one of the feathery wings, making Cass curl the limb into the hunter's hands.

"That's... weird," Dean said breathlessly.

"I suppose that's the right word... but, Dean, I think I have a solution to our food problem," he said. Dean's attention snapped away from the wings and to the angel's face.

"You mean my food problem. You don't eat," he pointed out snappily.

"True, but I care that you don't starve to death," he said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, yeah I guess... So, what'd you have in mind?"

Before Dean could do anything in protest, he felt his knife being stripped from him, and the smell of blood hit his nostrils.

"Drink," Cass said before shoving his wrist at Dean's face.

"No, no Cass NO!" Dean said, shoving the hand away and stripping away another piece of his ruined shirt to bandage the angel's wrist.

"Do not ever do that again," he said, pressing on the angel's slit wrist. "I will throttle you," he said quietly.

"Dean, it's all that I have to feed you with," Cass said weakly, protesting the wraps.

"Cass, no!" Dean growled, slamming Cass against the tree.

"I am NOT drinking blood. Especially yours!"

"Why not?" Cass said, and Dean detected a hint of whining in his voice.

"Because I'd rather starve than weaken you too," Dean said. The argument was ended at that, and Cass couldn't help but pressing two fingers to Dean's head. Dean slumped over on top of Cas, instantly falling into an angelic sleep. Cass didn't move for a while, holding the hunter there, and then he rolled him over onto his back and put his trench coat over him. Then, Cass sat, staring up at the moonless sky, knowing that he had to get Dean out of Purgatory if it was the last thing he did.

#

"I am not drinking that Cass," Dean said as firmly as he could and pushing Cass' bleeding wrist away. It had been almost a month since Dean had gone to Purgatory, although for Dean the time was much longer, since Cass had first tried to feed him his blood. Dean was growing weaker, but he would not give in.

"Dean, it doesn't make you weak. You're doing what's necessary," Cass pleaded, pushing his wrist closer to the hunter's face.

"No, Cass, I can't," Dean whimpered, holding Cass's wraps tightly. He couldn't stand anymore, and although Cass kept moving them from place to place to keep safe, it all looked the same.

"Dean, please. I know why you won't. You think you'll become addicted like Sam was to demon blood. But, if you don't you'll die. Please, just humor me," Cass said. Dean knew that he really meant 'do it for me'. Dean sighed. He knew that he couldn't last much longer without nourishment, and it was tearing Cass apart to see his friend die. Dean bowed his head.

"Fine. But you will NEVER tell Sam about this if–when, we get back," Dean said, correcting himself. Cass nodded.

"I swear Dean," he said. Dean nodded and took the angel's wrist in his hands, pressing his mouth to it and sucking in. Cass' blood tasted disgusting, like metal and dirt, no worse, like crap surrounded by salt on a stick of human flesh. Dean nearly gagged but sucked it down, instantly feeling more alive than ever. The color was returning to his face and the feeling was returning to his legs. He broke away and sank against the tree, instantly reaching for Cass' wraps and retying them.

"Better?" Cass breathed.

"Lots," Dean said, feeling disgusted with himself. "I am never doing that again," he said.

"You might have to," Cass whispered.

"Shut up Cass," Dean said, lying down. As soon as he hit the ground he fell asleep, only his dreams were different. They were trippy, like he was on drugs. He could feel colors, smell light, and see sound? It scared the shit out of him when he saw moving shapes if light and vibrating noises that moved the air like waves. Sometimes, he thought he heard an Enochian voice in the background, but he wasn't sure. Dean didn't like this new, vivid dreaming. It made him feel too aware, naked in some ways. When he woke up he was in a cold sweat and backed up against a tree in an awkward position. There was a sudden cool touch on his forehead and his eyes snapped open.

"Cass, it's just you," he breathed when he saw the angel. Cass nodded.

"I didn't know what to do. You were nearly yelling so loudly that I thought they would come for us," Cass said. Dean realized that the angel was clamping his hand over Dean's mouth. Dean pulled off the hand and breathed deeply.

"What was I saying?" he said, rubbing his eyes.

"Odd things. Sometimes you yelled out my name, others you-you seemed to relive memories from Hell. And then there were moments that I just found, intriguing," Cass said.

"Intriguing?" Dean repeated.

"Yes. You often um, touched yourself-"

"Dammit Cass!" Dean said, growing red in the face.

"Sorry," Cass muttered.

"It's fine," Dean huffed, sitting upright now. He looked around.

"We moved again?" he asked, noticing that the area was slightly different. Cass nodded.

"Fifteen times," he said.

"Oh. Well, thanks for having my back, man" Dean said awkwardly. Cass nodded dutifully.

"Always..." the silence hung in the air for so long that Dean's ears began to ring. Suddenly, he wanted to simply know for sure that Cass was really there. He certainly wasn't terrified, but he wasn't calm either. He just wanted human contact... And Cass was the closest thing.

"Cass," he whispered, rolling back onto the mossy floor. Cass understood and laid down next to him. For a while they just lay there, looking up at the starless sky. And then, Dean absentmindedly curled his hand around Cass', interlocking their fingers. Cass looked down at the gesture, unsure what to think.

"I guess that if I had to get stuck here, at least it was with you," Dean sighed unhappily.

"I thought I bothered you most of the time," Cass said, confused. If he wanted to learn about emotions, Dean was not the perfect example. The hunter's emotions were all over the place...

"No, you don't bother me. Why would you say such a thing?" Dean asked, looking over to Cass.

"Well, you always yell at me when I pop in, and you never really seem to like the fact that we share a profound bond," Cass said. Dean suddenly looked furious.

"Don't like- how could I not like it?" Dean breathed angrily.

"I–you just always seem angry with me," Cass said. Dean groaned.

"I'm not angry– I just am... Let's just say I've always got a lot on my mind and I'm short tempered," The hunter said, not wanting to confront his feelings here in Purgatory. Cass shrugged, which was an odd gesture for the angel.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dean snapped.

"I'm not sure. I've been trying out these emotional responses that humans use," Cass said in his comical, philosopher voice.

"Oh."

"Dean, what does that mean?" Cass said, pointing to their intertwined hands with his free one. Dean gulped. Why had he done such a careless, stupid thing? Did he want to reveal how he felt or something?

"I–I don't know," he said. Suddenly one of Cass' wings twitched a bit and smacked Dean in the face.

"What the hell was that for?" he said.

"Just a reflex." Dean stared at the wings that were now blocking Cass' face from view. They were so elegant, so beautiful...

"Cass, can I touch them?" Dean blurted out before he could stop himself.

"Touch what?" Cass asked, confused.

"Your wings," Dean whispered. Cass sat up and pulled Dean with him. He took the hunter's hand and held it tightly for a moment.

"You won't hurt them, right?" Cass said seriously. Dean almost laughed at how cute and innocent Cass sounded saying–wait. Cute? Cass was not cute. What was Dean saying? The hunter shook his head.

"Never," he replied. Cass nodded, trusting the hunter, and let go of his hand. Dean reached up to touch the soft, feathery wings. Cass watched him every second as Dean's face turned joyful and he stroked the wings softly.

"Cass?" he asked, bringing his hand from the wings to the angel's cheek. He didn't know what had pushed him over the edge, but he couldn't take it anymore. He loved Castiel, and it was time to admit to it.

"Yes?"

"I really- really-" Dean gulped, feeling tightness in his throat.

"Are you alright? Do you need more blood?" Cass asked nervously.

"No, not yet... I just really, really love you Cass." It came out as a mere whisper, but the angel heard all of the same. He was taken aback at first, and then curious, and then emotionless. Finally he cocked his head to the side.

"You–you love me?" he asked.

"Yes. I–I thought you felt the same way! Oh god. Dammit I'm sorry Cass. I should've known you don't feel the same! Fuck I'm an idiot!" Dean went to turn away but a strong black wing wrapped around him, preventing him from escaping. Dean turned back slowly.

"Dean, this emotion, I just don't understand it. What does it feel like? Help me," Cass pleaded. Dean could barely control himself now that he was nearly inches away from Cass' lips.

"I like your wings," Dean whispered, leaning forward a little bit. He wanted it so badly, to press their lips together, to join as one in this living nightmare.

"Thank you. But you didn't really answer my question," Cass said.

"I know. Love Cass? It's like this. I never want to lose you. You are the only person that means as much to me as Sam, but in a different way. I want to hold you, sometimes I dream about you... I can't control myself when I'm around you Cass. You just-" Dean was cut off when Cass did the most surprising thing he could've and gently pressed his lips against Dean's. Dean felt like a million fireworks had gone off inside his soul, like he could fly. He wrapped his arms around the angel's neck and kissed him back, thankful that the angel had closed the gap. Cass wrapped his arms around Dean's waist, which Dean usually would've been offended by. He was a dude, not some doe-eyed girl. But, with Cass it was different. This kiss lingered in the darkness, pulling them closer together than ever before. Dean moaned and kissed harder, deeper, wanting everything of Cass.

He then pulled the angel on top of them so that Cass' wings stretched out around them like a large blanket. Dean wrapped his legs around Cass' waist and kissed the angel's cheeks, neck, ears, anything and everything that he could get his lips on. Cass followed the experienced hunter's lead and kissed back, feeling emotions that he never had before. Dean groaned and pulled off his t-shirt, dropping it on the mossy ground beside them. He then went to work at Cass' clothes, but remembered the angel's wings.

"Aren't you're clothes stuck when you have your angel mojo wings activated?" Dean asked.

"No," Cass grunted, beginning to pull off his trench coat. Dean eagerly joined in to help and saw why the wings weren't stuck. They simple disappeared for the moment as the hunter ripped off the angel's clothes. He nearly chucked the offensive trench coat on the ground and Cass eyed him strangely.

"What? It's an offensive piece of clothing," he said.

"Why?"

"Because it hides you from me," Dean said with a smile, finally admitting why he and that coat were always having a silent battle.

"Oh," Cass said. Dean began to undo Cass' white button-down shirt.

"I miss your tie," he said as he pulled the shirt off of Cass. Cass kissed Dean firmly and pulled off the hunter's torn and clawed jeans that weren't even really jeans anymore.

Dean then pulled the shirt off quickly and worked at Cass' slacks grinning as he did so.

"Why do you look so happy?"

"Because I've been waiting for this for years, Cass," Dean said, stripping Cass of his usual dress pants. All that was left was Cass' grey underwear, and Dean was sporting his black boxers alone as well. Dean tucked playfully at Cass' waistband and the angel pulled his wings around them tighter, almost as if he was shy.

"Shit, I've been waiting for this for so long. You are not backing out now," Dean said firmly. Cass nodded.

"I know. I don't want to." Dean grinned and tore off Cass' underwear like a damn Christmas present. He was happily surprised by what he found. Cass was pretty big. Suddenly, the angel took him by surprise when in one swift second Dean's underwear were gone. Cass grabbed Dean's neck and pulled hum closer, this time taking the lead and spreading his mouth open so that their tongues slipped inside the other, battling it out for dominance.

"Oh, Cass..." Dean moaned, caressing every known body part that Cass had. Their bodies nearly fought in the darkness, and occasionally Cass would pull his wings tightly around them and remind Dean that the hunter was in fact his. Cass traced the spot where his hand had left its mark on his shoulder.

He began to writhe against the human so that Dean felt their cocks bouncing together. It was pleasure beyond belief. Cass then rolled him over and positioned himself above his entrance. Dean groaned in anticipation. He had experimented before with this sort of thing, in empty motel rooms when Sam was out and the gay porn channel was cheap, but now he wanted it for real. Without warning, Cass thrust into him and Dean screamed in pleasure. He tried to find something to hold onto, but the moss just pulled right out.

The feeling of falling and being fucked and in desperate love all mingled together into one ball of emotions that distracted Dean from the Hell they were in. he moaned and dug his fingers into the ground, wanting nothing more than this to last forever. Then suddenly Cass stopped, teasing the hunter with little kisses at his neck.

"Cass," Dean growled, wanting nothing more than to cum, nothing more than to give in fully. Luckily, Cass appeased him, and seconds later they were a mess of wet skin entangled on the forest ground.

And then, there was a loud yelp in the distance. Dean and Cass both jumped up, dressing as quickly as possible. Seconds later, a pack of nasty demonic creatures burst through the trees. There was a slashing and ripping and Dean yelled, feeling part of his leg get torn up to bits by the Hellhounds. Cass looked around, trying to locate his love in the dark, but was ambushed by some unknown devil creature. It took all of Cass' strength to push the thing off and bolt into the words after Dean, who was being dragged on the ground by the hounds.

He was reliving his worst nightmares from years ago, when he had made a deal with the crossroads demon. "Cass! Please Cass!" he cried as the hounds bit into his leg. Then, there was a sudden stream of white light and Dean was blinded as Cass eradicated the hounds and then teleported them to a new location. Dean looked around, blinking madly as he tried to regain his vision. He was seeing bright lights and nothing else.

"Cass! Where are you dammit?" Suddenly, Dean felt the angel's wings around him and knew it would be all right.

"Dean, you're safe now," was the last thing he heard before fainting.

#

"Drink," was all Dean heard before Cass' slit wrist was shoved into his mouth. Dean gagged only for a moment this time, now feeling more familiar with the taste of iron. He sucked on Cass' wrist for several minutes, realizing just how hungry and exhausted he actually was. Cass held the hunter's head and watched him the whole time. When Dean was done he slumped back against the tree.

"Replace your bandages," he said to Cass. The angel obeyed and retied the cloth around his wrist.

"Thank you," he whispered, reaching forward to hug the angel. "You have to make me drink it, Cass. It's only my second time and I was barely awake. Even when I tell you no, you have to make me. Okay?" Dean said. Cass nodded.

"I would've made you no matter if you wanted me to Dean. I care more about your safety than your preferences," the angel said.

"I know. I'm worried though Cass. What we're doing. This is wrong," Dean mumbled. "I don't like hurting you."

"Dean, I'd give my life for you. A little blood from my vessel isn't going to hurt me," he said. Dean nodded. "And you aren't going to get addicted," Cass said, sensing Dean's distress.

"But what if I do? What if I forget about the fact that I actually care about you and all I want is your blood?"

"I won't let it happen. I promise," said Cass, nuzzling his neck into Dean's chest. Dean wrapped his arms around his angel and pulled him to the ground. They both fell asleep there, sleeping for the equivalent of six months on Earth...

#

"Sam, I'll tell you again. There is no way that Dean's getting out. He's been in there for three years. I'd be surprised if he's even alive. It's better to let him alone, sweet cakes, and become my vessel. We can turn the world into true paradise," said Lucifer, standing across the room from Sam.

"What are you doing here?" Sam asked, gripping his knife tightly although he knew that it wouldn't do any good.

"Sam as always. Offer that you can be my vessel, that maybe if we overcome Heaven I'll get my boys to drag poor Dean and his little angel crush back..."

"You're lying!" Sam yelled.

"Sammy, would I lie to you?" the devil said with a grin.

"You sick son-of-a-bitch," Sam said through gritted teeth.

"Whoah, Whoah, that's my daddy your talking about," Lucifer laughed.

"Just know that I'm gonna kill you someday," Sam snapped. Lucifer sighed. "If only that were true Sammy-"

"Don't call me that!"

"Well it is your name, isn't it?" Lucifer asked. Suddenly, Sam was falling into darkness, and he jolted awake.

#

"I need more Cass," Dean panted as he drank the angel's blood. Castiel suddenly pulled his wrist away.

"No," he said.

"No? Don't 'no' me," Dean said hungrily. Cass looked worried.

"Dean, stop please. You're worrying me. I should never have done this. You're depending on it too much," Cass said. Suddenly Dean snapped out of it.

"Am I hurting you?" he asked, cradling Cass' face.

"No. But I don't want to lose you to some monster that needs blood," said the angel. Without warning, tears poured from Dean's eyes. He gripped Castiel tighter than he ever had and sat there sobbing.

"I want to see the sun Cass. I want to stop drinking your blood. I'm getting weaker it feels, not stronger. I can't do this too you. I want a damn cheeseburger, I want to see Sammy, and I want to be able to tell him that I love him. I hate moving around every few hours, not knowing how long it's been on earth, not knowing even if Sam is alive, or if the leviathans took over." Dean sobbed and sobbed into the angel's trench coat, and Cass bound his wrist quickly.

"It's okay Dean," he whispered, embracing the broken man.

"No it's not," Dean said, planting a soft kiss on Cass' lips.

"We'll make it through. We always do," the angel reassured him.

"You don't really think I'm a monster do you?"

"Never," said Cass, pressing his nose against Dean's.

#

"This is it. Come on Dean," Sam whispered. The spell was set, everything was ready. Sam uttered the incantation and, nothing...

"AH!" he threw the book against the wall and collapsed, sobbing uncontrollably. Maybe Lucifer was right. He'd never get Dean back...

#

"Cass?" Dean whispered, tracing the angel's collarbone.

"Yes?"

"Do you think Sammy's still alive?" Dean asked. Cass didn't answer. He knew that most likely Sam wasn't. Time was different here, and possibly already fifty years had passed on earth. Angels weren't good at tracking time anyway, since they could bend it and ignore it whenever they needed to.

"Definitely," he lied.

"You think I can't tell when you are lying Cass?" Dean said unhappily. "I know you like the back of my hand." Cass nodded.

"It was worth an attempt," he said. "Why did you ask then?"

"Because its nice to feel oblivious..."

Dean sighed and wrapped his arms around the angel. If they ever got back, he would spend every minute that he could with Cass. After all of the time that he wasted being an ass hat, he had finally admitted how he felt... If felt good to not have to spend every second trying not to be close to Cass.

"I'm sorry for everything Cass," he said.

"It's really alright Dean," the angel said softly.

Dean pulled away and sat up, scratching at his throat.

"You're hungry," said Cass, reaching for his wraps.

"No, no, I'm fine," Dean lied.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," he said. For two weeks, Dean ignored his hunger, lying to the angel every time he offered his blood. But, one day Cass was very insistent.

"No, Cass dammit!" Dean yelled, pushing the wrist away.

"Please Dean. You can't even stand anymore," Cass pleaded, innocently pushing his wrist closer. Dean groaned.

"I don't want to," Dean said.

Cass looked serious. "I promised that I would feed you even when you pushed me away. Drink," Cass said, shoving his bleeding wrist into the hunter's mouth. Dean gagged for a moment, but then his eyes rolled back into his head and he moaned, sucking in the tempting nutrients. He pulled Cass's arm closer, moving upwards and sucking deeper.

"Better?" Cass asked after several minutes. Dean gingerly pulled away and took the wrap made out of his old shirt, binding the wound.

"Yes. I can't stand it. I'm actually enjoying it, Cass. I'm scared," Dean said. The angel folded his wings around the hunter protectively.

"This is what's necessary. I would much rather give you my blood than have you die," he whispered.

"I'm a monster Cass. I can't do it anymore" Dean argued. Cass for once actually looked depressed, or like he was going to cry.

"Please? You only have to until we escape."

Dean sighed. "Don't make me drink again until I have to," he whispered. Cass nodded and gripped the hunter's hair, closing every gap between them and holding him tightly.

"Okay."

#

"Okay Dean. If this doesn't work I don't know what will!" Sam growled, cutting his arm and collecting the blood in the cup.

"Ah," he said, wrapping the wound. He turned back to the protective circle.

"ab inferne tollo. tollere potestis et videre solum..." Sam continued the chant, sprinkling about the blood and a mixture of salts. He grew louder and louder and finally yelled it out to the night.

#

"Cass, do you feel that?" Dean yelled out. Suddenly all he felt was light around him. He held onto Cass tightly, but suddenly felt himself slip away.

"Cass!" he yelled out as he was pulled out of the darkness. Suddenly he awoke, panting in the dirt. He coughed.

"Cass?" he panted, reaching out.

"DEAN!" Suddenly there were warm arms around him, and Dean looked up to see Sam's face. He was crying and clenching his brother in a death grip. Sam looked more or less the same, although he looked tired.

"Sammy?" Dean breathed, grasping his brother tightly.

"Dean, I- I thought I would never see you again," Sam said.

"Wait- Cass? Where's Cass? Sammy you have to get him out!" Dean said uncontrollably. Sam looked confounded as Dean pounded the dirt with his fists and yelled out in agony.

"Dean, what's going on?" he said, grabbing Dean's shirt.

"Ca-Cass is still down there. He-" Dean stopped. He cocked his head to the side and looked beyond Sam's shoulder.

"Cass?" he whispered. Cass emerged from the shadows, wearing his typical trench coat and white shirt.

"Dean," he said, walking forward. Dean stood and stumbled forward to hug the angel. He gripped his trench coat tightly and began to sob more, staining it with tears. Sammy watched, confused as Dean turned back to him.

"Sammy, I'd be dead if it wasn't for Cass. He saved my life," Sam looked at the angel.

"You did?"

Cass nodded. Dean slipped his around the angel's waist.

"Even when it was, unpleasant," Cass said. Sam looked at his brother's arm.

"Did you-"

"Is it that obvious?" Dean asked. Sam nearly laughed.

"Bro, it's_ always _been obvious," he said.

"Oh."

"I'm just happy that you're both here, and safe," Sam said. "No offense Cass, but I didn't try to rescue you. How'd you get out?"

"When you pulled Dean, I grabbed onto his energy and tagged along, I suppose you could say," said Cass.

"You rode me?" Dean asked, pretending to be pissed.

"Yes," Cass said, looking at him.

He shrugged. "Okay," he said. Dean's legs suddenly felt like jelly and he slipped onto the ground. Cass caught him, and Sam came to support his other side. They dragged Dean a quarter mile out of the forest and into town, arriving at the crappy motel that Sam was staying at. They rushed in and put Dean on the bed.

"Thirsty, thirsty," Dean gasped. Cass went to pull off the wrap but Dean shook his head, not wanting Sam to know.

"Water Sammy," he said. Sam nodded and went to fill a glass from the sink. He brought it to Dean and poured the liquid into his brother's mouth. Dean almost gagged, not used to the tasteless drink, but Sam made him drink it all. After, he felt sick.

"Are you hungry?" Sam asked. Surprisingly, Dean wasn't hungry at all. He shook his head.

"I feel like my stomach is shriveled up," he breathed, pulling himself up against the pillow. Cass looked nervous and sat down on the bed. Sam looked at his guilty face for a moment, and then back to Dean's.

"Dean? Did you drink Cass' blood?" he questioned. Dean nodded shakily.

"We had no choice Sam. Dean would've died," Cass said, bowing his head.

"Dean you-you were addicted weren't you?" Sam said nervously.

"Please don't be angry with me Sam. I couldn't help it after a while. It's all I've had in-" he stopped, not knowing how long it had been.

"Three and a half years next Sunday," Sam said quietly.

"Three and a-wow," he whispered.

"Yeah. I've missed you, both of you. And, I don't blame you. I'm just glad that Cass was willing to do that for you," he said.

"I would do anything for Dean, and you Sam," Cass said. Sammy nodded.

"Thanks," he said.

"So, who rules the world? Any more freaking Leviathan bastards running around?" Dean asked. Sam shook his head.

"No actually. Almost immediately after you both, you know, they just died off. Hunters killed some of them, but others just didn't survive. And, now I really don't know what's going on. It's been lonely. I mean, we lost Bobby, and then I lost both of you... I've been doing jobs, but it hasn't been the same. Every time I fight damn creatures they run away like I'm some god. It's scaring me. There's almost no supernatural stuff anywhere. No murders, no freak accidents, nothing. It's like Heaven and Hell just went quiet. Like, they put everything on hold," Sam shook his head.

"I don't think that either of you were supposed to go into Purgatory. I think they wanted you Dean, and once you slipped away they couldn't find a replacement."

"That is highly possible," Cass cut in. "Dean is once again very special to Heaven," he said. Dean looked at him.

"I don't want to be some angel puppet doll," Dean said.

"I know," said Cass.

"So, where do we go from here?" Dean asked.

"Well, for now you both should rest. Then, we're probably going to have Heaven and Hell on our asses now that you're back," said Sam. Dean nodded.

"Welcome back us," he said sarcastically.

Sam nodded. "I guess so..."


End file.
